lecture 4 Flashcards
What does a life cycle analysis account for?
Accounts for environmental effects so that minimize environmental consequences associated with the entire life cycle can be minimized
What does an LCA provide?
Provides a framework to make sound decisions from the standpoint of environmental impacts
What does an LCA include? (6)
- What materials to use
- Where to order these materials from
- What types of energy to use in production
- How to package the products
- How to ship the products to customers
- How to dispose of wastes
What are factors important in LCA decisions? (5)
Minimizing cost and maximizing product quality, safety, durability and consumer appeal
What does the goal of an LCA include?
The reason of LCA, precise definition of the product and its life cycle
What does the scope of an LCA include?
Sets system boundaries and describe what is taken into the assessment and what is left out
What issues must be considered when established the scope of the LCA?
The motivation for the study, the intended use of the results, the resources available to conduct the study and the point of view of the analysis
What is listed and quantified in the inventory analysis?
Inputs and outputs of the processes at each stage in one life cycle
What is very helpful in the inventory analysis?
A flow diagram that includes the major categories of interest and defines the scope
Name and describe the first step in inventory analysis.
Raw materials acquisition involves activities such as mining of ores, harvesting of trees and extraction of oil from wells
Name and describe the second step in the inventory analysis.
Manufacturing embodies several processes: processes to refine materials, processes used to create the final product from refined materials, packaging the product, transporting product to the consumer
Name and describe the third step in inventory analysis.
Use of the product by the consumer, all maintenance and repair of the product throughout its useful life
Name and describe the fourth step in inventory analysis.
Disposal of the product at the end of its useful life which includes landfilling or incineration as well as dismantling the product and recycling parts
What is the goal of the impact analysis step?
To determine the environmental impact from each inputs and outputs identified in the inventory.
What is identified in the improvement analysis?
What can be done to reduce environmental impacts by changes in product or process design are identified
